SOC 205
The Pledge of Allegiance
SOC 205: Society, Law and Government
The Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America’s flag is a part of America’s
history. This is the way people in America cam express their allegiance to the United States
In September 1892, the pledge appeared in a magazine article that celebrated the 400th
anniversary of Christopher Columbus arriving in the New World. The Pledge of Allegiance
was created by Francis Bellamy but his version did not have the words “under God” in it.
In March 2000, Michael Newdow filed a suit against the Elk Grove Unified School
District. This is what led to the U.S Supreme Court case of Newdow v. Elk Grove Unified
School District decision in 2004. Michael Newdow sued on behalf of his daughter who was
enrolled in the Elk Grove public schools system. Michael stated that the words “Under God”
in the Pledge of Allegiance was an unconstitutional establishment of religion and that, as
such, the daily recitation of the Pledge with the offending words interfered with his right to
inculcate his daughter with his religious beliefs. The U.S Magistrate Judge Peter A Nowinski
found that the Pledge was constitutional and the District Court accepted the finding and
dismissed the case on June 21, 2000 which led to Michael Newdow appealing. The Ninth
Circuit of the U.S Court of Appeals issued three opinions in the case. The first opinion was
that Newdow had standing as a parent to challenge a practice that interferes with his right to
direct the religious education of his daughter. This led to the reversal of the trial court
decision on June 26, 2002. On December 4, 2002 the second opinion was that Michael
Newdow no longer claimed to represent his daughter but the judges unanimously concluded
that Sandra Banning (mother of the child who is not married to Michael Newdow) sole legal
custody of the child did not deprive Michael Newdow, as a noncustodial parent, of Article
The Pledge of Allegiance
SOC 205: Society, Law and Government
The Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America’s flag is a part of America’s
history. This is the way people in America cam express their allegiance to the United States
In September 1892, the pledge appeared in a magazine article that celebrated the 400th
anniversary of Christopher Columbus arriving in the New World. The Pledge of Allegiance
was created by Francis Bellamy but his version did not have the words “under God” in it.
In March 2000, Michael Newdow filed a suit against the Elk Grove Unified School
District. This is what led to the U.S Supreme Court case of Newdow v. Elk Grove Unified
School District decision in 2004. Michael Newdow sued on behalf of his daughter who was
enrolled in the Elk Grove public schools system. Michael stated that the words “Under God”
in the Pledge of Allegiance was an unconstitutional establishment of religion and that, as
such, the daily recitation of the Pledge with the offending words interfered with his right to
inculcate his daughter with his religious beliefs. The U.S Magistrate Judge Peter A Nowinski
found that the Pledge was constitutional and the District Court accepted the finding and
dismissed the case on June 21, 2000 which led to Michael Newdow appealing. The Ninth
Circuit of the U.S Court of Appeals issued three opinions in the case. The first opinion was
that Newdow had standing as a parent to challenge a practice that interferes with his right to
direct the religious education of his daughter. This led to the reversal of the trial court
decision on June 26, 2002. On December 4, 2002 the second opinion was that Michael
Newdow no longer claimed to represent his daughter but the judges unanimously concluded
that Sandra Banning (mother of the child who is not married to Michael Newdow) sole legal
custody of the child did not deprive Michael Newdow, as a noncustodial parent, of Article
